View Full Version : How long did it take for you to wear out your first pair of boots?
Affirmative
03-16-2014, 18:37
Going NOBO?
How many pairs of socks did you go through and what was the first town you arrived in wearing tattered clothes?
vic_doom69
03-16-2014, 18:58
Changed from Merrill boots to Solomon trail runners in pearisburg (hitched to Blacksburg) and bought another pair of Solomon's in VT. I wear cheap cotton socks (personal preference) and changed them fairly often. I would guess 20ish pair of Nike, under armor, new balance, ect. Poly shirt lasted the whole way and looked great at the end. Had to replace shorts in CT cause the threads on the butt were wore from sitting on rocks, stumps, ect.
ChinMusic
03-16-2014, 19:06
Pants: Newfound Gap (destroyed in a fall) Pants fine after that.
Socks: Prob got 1000 miles out of a pair of Darn Toughs
Shirt: 2 Icebreaker Hoppers made it all the way. One is toast
Shoes: First new ones at Woods Hole (pretty much killed 4 pair, a few miles left in a couple pair)
Underwear: One pair became Underkilts in PA
colorado_rob
03-16-2014, 19:22
I get right about 700 miles/pair of Merrells. (chameleon low's). New Balance trail runners get a bit less, 500-600 tops. My clothes are good for an entire thru, baring any bad things that create big tears.
My pair of brand new Keens lasted 1,400 miles. They sent me another pair for free, awesome people. In retrospect probably should've replaced them a little sooner though.
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My problem wasn't wearing out my first pair of boots, though I'd done some serious damage to them while trying to thaw them on a space heater in Neels Gap. Rather, the problem was outgrowing them. Before I hit Virginia I was looking for a larger pair.
On each of my thru's i went through two pairs of trail runner's and the only town i replaced socks was in Daleville at Outdoor trails 3 pairs of darn toughs, i went through six pairs of socks on each of my thru's, socks and shoe's was the only clothes i had to replace.
Just Bill
03-17-2014, 11:14
Unless you make a mistake or have an accident- Clothes should make it the whole way. You will occasionally encounter hiker trash who intentionally wear a ratty cotton t-shirt with pride, but this is on purpose and much like a long beard a badge of honor worn after long miles on the trail.
Boots are boots- they may make it the whole trip.
Tennis shoes in any form are best replaced every 500 miles, along with your socks.
While they can last shorter or longer and your budget may disagree, if money was no object it's not worth the risk of messing up your feet to push them much further.
One budget strategy regarding socks- Get a new pair every 400 miles. Pick the worst pair you have and discard it. If you start with three and swap in a new pair a month you will likely only use 8 pairs.
Darn Tuff do live up to thier name and have a lifetime warrantee- but IMO- you get 1000 mi out of something buy another pair as thanks for a fine product, don't return them.
Everything besides shoes and socks for me lasted the whole way, and while I had a spare pair of shorts and a shirt I don't think I ever used them besides in town. Funny side note my thru was my first real long hike, and I didn't know socks could wear out. My 2 pairs of Cabela's wool socks lasted until ME and then totally crapped out, worst feeling ever.
lonehiker
03-17-2014, 12:27
Quote: My pair of brand new Keens lasted 1,400 miles. They sent me another pair for free, awesome people. In retrospect probably should've replaced them a little sooner though.
To the OP. Don't do this. If you get 1,400 miles out of a pair of shoes. Fork over the bucks to buy a new pair. Support businesses that provide quality products.
timberline 1,200 miles and they were 8 years old. She is still wearing the thru hike cloths they never wore out. I am speaking of my daughter who is not on WB but thrued last year.
My clothes never wore out. In fact I still use the shorts I wore the whole way. I only used three pairs of socks the entire trail. One pair is still in really good shape. I must be light footed or something because I saw a lot of other people with the same socks I had have to replace them
CarlZ993
03-27-2014, 21:59
I used Brooks Cascadia trail runners. Replaced them in Daleville (723.5M), Vernon NJ (1352.6M), & Andover ME (1939.1M). I replaced the socks in NJ (still had good life on my REI wool socks). Added an additional pair of socks (3rd pair) in VT or NH.
Note: My shoes were looking ragged by Vernon NJ and horrible by Andover ME (lots of duct tape).
All my clothing, except for socks, held up the entire trip.
I wore Brooks trail runners and changed them out every 500 miles.
Don's Brother
03-29-2014, 07:28
I used Brooks Cascadia trail runners. Replaced them in Daleville (723.5M), Vernon NJ (1352.6M), & Andover ME (1939.1M). I replaced the socks in NJ (still had good life on my REI wool socks). Added an additional pair of socks (3rd pair) in VT or NH.
Note: My shoes were looking ragged by Vernon NJ and horrible by Andover ME (lots of duct tape).
I also used Brooks Cascadia trail runners. Replaced in Daleville, VA. Second pair was too small because my feet had changed. New pair 1/2 size bigger at Jennings Creek. Next two pairs in Wingdale, NY and Rangley, ME. I love these shoes. No blisters the entire hike with SmartWool socks and liberal coatings of Vaseline every morning.